That is a magnificent job Paul. I thought you had been a bit quiet on the Forum lately but now where a very large amount of your time has gone. I'm disappointed I can't just pop over to Rafe Retro for a look! Have a great show and enjoy the attention this display will surely attract.

Tom wrote:Fantastic results, I could look at those for hours! A little weathering here and there would add the final touch, but it's great as is.

I also too find myself starring at other people's diorama displays longer than I possibly should. They are some what like famous pieces of art work, there is always something else you see when you go back and have another look! My next task is experimenting with the topic of weathering, perhaps next winter's subject! Thanks for your comments Tom

Alfaholic wrote:That is a magnificent job Paul. I thought you had been a bit quiet on the Forum lately but now where a very large amount of your time has gone. I'm disappointed I can't just pop over to Rafe Retro for a look! Have a great show and enjoy the attention this display will surely attract.

Thanks Martin. I realised I was up against it on return from hols in the New Year, plus skiing and then Retromobile, so yes I have been shut away doing my best to complete. I managed to make some new model purchases whilst in France so once I get RR2017 out of the way, I can focus a little more of my time on the forum.

Serafa wrote:That's a marvelous work, congratulations! I hope it gets the attention it deserves.

Many thanks. This is quite different from what I normally display so yes it will be interesting to hear what attention it creates.

Jager wrote:Let me also add my congratulations Paul. That's a great piece of work that you can be proud of for many years to come.

Now you just have decide how much you'd be willing to let it go for if some wealthy collector gets his cheque book out at Race Retro.

Cheers Ian. Being a member of this forum has certainly helped me. What with your reference pictures and other tips of information and peoples comments/ideas, they have all assisted. Ref your other point; Are there such people out there? I think that will be wish full thinking on my part! Will report back should I get any feed back

scalainj wrote:That is superb Paul. Great work

Nice of you to say so Andy. At times it has been a little stressful not being entirely sure I would get it finished in time. Ideally I would of liked to have added a few more figures.

Paul - "Collecting Motorsport in Miniature; for the passion and its history".

Paul, it was good to speak to you at Race Retro and in many respects the photos don't do justice to the dioramas on display.
My own kits arrived not long after and I hope to make a start on some of them soon. You were right when you said that if does stop making the kits it shouldn't be too difficult to make the buildings as they are relatively straightforward.
What really make the kits are the fire extinguishers, fuel rigs and other ancillaries and of course the pit boards and advertising hoardings are invaluable. It would be a pity if they were no longer available.
I look forward to seeing the pit complexes as you develop them further.

GVF wrote:Paul, it was good to speak to you at Race Retro and in many respects the photos don't do justice to the dioramas on display.
My own kits arrived not long after and I hope to make a start on some of them soon. You were right when you said that if does stop making the kits it shouldn't be too difficult to make the buildings as they are relatively straightforward.
What really make the kits are the fire extinguishers, fuel rigs and other ancillaries and of course the pit boards and advertising hoardings are invaluable. It would be a pity if they were no longer available.
I look forward to seeing the pit complexes as you develop them further.

Gordon

Hi Gordon, this is a nice surprise to see you here. I was reliably informed that your pit kits were on the way to you. I truly hope you get as much enjoyment as I did in building them. I think with any diorama, the devil is in the detail and without all the little accessories, they can be lacking. The next element for me to master is the weathering but I'm going to leave that for next winter, too many other things in life to occupy me in the summer.

Paul - "Collecting Motorsport in Miniature; for the passion and its history".

As a closing note to this thread I came across the following during the summer months.

Personally, I’m fascinated with “behind the scene” stories associated with motorsport. I find them usually totally absorbing but quite often hard to come by. So, when I do discover one I’m all ears and want to know more and rather fittingly have found one I can associate with the diorama I have built.

To accompany this build I was pleasantly surprised to have recently found a fascinating article written by Denis Jenkinson in a copy of November Motorsport, of the same year. This was not another piece informing the reader of how the race was won but one of the mechanics and the many individuals within the team; the unsung heroes.

The article focuses on the 1st and 2nd placed Jaguars of David Murray’s Scottish Ecurie Ecosse Team. Formed out of Merchiston Motors in Edinburgh, which Murray created in 1951, over the years he had gathered together a loyal and hard-working little group of people. His main man was W.E (Wilkie) Wilkinson who attended to the tuning and maintenance of the Ecurie Ecosse D-Types. Wilkie was assisted by three mechanics, Stan Sproat, Ron Gaudion and Pat Meeham. Except for Pat who had other duties to perform, Wilkie, Stan and Ron where the only three who maintained Jaguars #3 and #15 throughout the 24 hours of the race. Wilkie apparently stayed in the pits throughout the duration of the race attending to re-fuelling whilst Stan and Ron took turns to grab 15 minutes sleep or snatch a quick meal when they could. Otherwise they were checking tyres, oil and water levels and making any necessary repairs. Okay, today's prototype sportscars are much more technical by comparison and certainly require more fuss and attention but just imagine having to look after 2 thoroughbred sportscars for 24 hours and you are 1 of a 3-man team. Not much sleep before, during or after the race I suspect!

Also in the team was Sandy Arthur whose responsibility was looking after the team’s transporters. These consisted of two converted Leyland single decker buses. Apparently dating back to 1929 where one was used on a local Glasgow bus service and the other was on a long-distance coach run. As I understand it this was before the famous Commer Ecurie Ecosse dark blue transporters.

Other members of the team included Murray’s wife Jenny and her friend Kay Bryant who both kept the lap charts in order by working in shifts throughout the 24 hours. Time keeping duties were shared between Bob Gibson-Jarvie and Hugh Langrishe. In those days team personnel were also needed on the far side of the circuit just after the Muslanne bend at the signalling pits, connected to the main pits by telephone. Both Pat Meeham and Sandy Arthur manned the signalling boards during the race relaying information to the drivers as they sped past on every lap.

Using the internet I have managed to find a couple of photographs to identify these team members so they are not just simply names written in passing text.The B&W photograph below is outside the garages of Ecurie Ecosse in the Mews in Edinburgh with Stan Sproat on the left, Ron Gaudion in the centre and Sandy Arthur on the right, whilst David Murray looks on.

Not forgetting Wilkie Wilkinson who can be seen below in the other B&W photograph with David Murray.

Reading Mr Jenkinson’s lengthy Motorsport article has had the benefit of adding a more personalized interest to my diorama. The figures in my diorama are now known by their actual names and are not just a nameless character, these were actual hard working and dedicated team individuals.
For those wishing to read the full DJ article you will find it in Motorsport Nov 1957 “Individual Achievements”, well worth a read.

So in closing and with a little artistic licence I have produced this colour photograph. We have Wilkie ready to refuel the winning Jaguar, with perhaps Stan overlooking proceedings at the side of the car whilst Ron is moving a spare wheel back to the pit wall. The gentleman in the Great Coat standing on the pit counter is of course David Murray.

THE END

Paul - "Collecting Motorsport in Miniature; for the passion and its history".

Excellent postscript which adds real life to the diorama. Ron Gaudion and Sir Norman Dewis were both at the Concours of Elegance Hampton Court Palace and Goodwood Revival. When I was 'but a lad' in 1964 I had relatives living just south of Edinburgh. I was there on holiday and took myself off to a car show at Murrayfield Showground near Edinburgh and saw the Ecurie Ecosse Transporter on display.

I wasn't so tuned into the motorsport side of things at that time. Seeing the newly released BMC Austin Princess 4-Litre RR engined saloon which I'd seen in Autocar magazine and a rather lurid customised Mini were of most interest that day... Somewhere I have an old colour photo in which the Ecurie Ecosse transporter is visible in the distance.

I thought I'd add Paul that having some Scottish ancestry, I've been quite intrigued by the history of Ecurie Ecosse and in particular their garages in Merchiston Mews, Edinburgh.

One of the things I've thought about is to build a diorama of the Mews for my Ecurie Ecosse transporter. What might help with that even though I'm on the other side of the world is the fact the Mews still exist and you can find them on Google street view :

Great story Paul. Like you I love these "stories behind the stories". The Ecurie Ecosse transporter is crying out to be modeled by someone.

Thanks Ian. Very much so. I have since found another photo of the other transporter which was slightly different. As I said to Martin need to nudge Spark and see if they would take them both on.
A diorama of the Mews is a great idea.................we wait to see the results

Excellent postscript which adds real life to the diorama. Ron Gaudion and Sir Norman Dewis were both at the Concours of Elegance Hampton Court Palace and Goodwood Revival. When I was 'but a lad' in 1964 I had relatives living just south of Edinburgh. I was there on holiday and took myself off to a car show at Murrayfield Showground near Edinburgh and saw the Ecurie Ecosse Transporter on display.

I wasn't so tuned into the motorsport side of things at that time. Seeing the newly released BMC Austin Princess 4-Litre RR engined saloon which I'd seen in Autocar magazine and a rather lurid customised Mini were of most interest that day... Somewhere I have an old colour photo in which the Ecurie Ecosse transporter is visible in the distance.

Many thanks Ian, appreciated. Good to have the memories of that holiday in 64. You must find that old colour photo

What an interesting story! Paul, I do not know what you do as a profession but I think you have found you calling. You really brought this tale to life.

Really appreciate your comments Jeff. I tend to deal with numbers rather than words during my working week so researching and compiling these little stories is quite therapeutic. I also write for our small model club here in the south of England so I get a chance to share my articles with you guys as well.

Fantastic stuff! All of us like the cars, some of us pay attention to the support vehicles, but it is the first time I see someone giving attention to the mechanics!

Bruno, having spoken to a few old mechanics when I've been displaying models I know there are lots of good stories out there. Trouble is we need to get them recorded in books or similar articles otherwise they will be lost for ever.

I just found this thread, and checked all details from the beginning. Fascinating investigation and handcarft job, it is great that you put the maximum level of real life details to the diorama.

Great read of the final article about the team, too!

Thanks Paulius. It has taken sometime but have enjoyed the journey and the help from fourm members along the way. I have it on constant display at home so see it every day in my model room. However it will have to make way for a new display shortly as we are nearing the end of the 60th Anniversary.

Paul - "Collecting Motorsport in Miniature; for the passion and its history".

As we draw to the close of this year, it would be remiss of me not to include the achievements of Team Lotus in this the 60th anniversary year of their great successes at Le Mans. Ecurie Ecosse may well have finished 1st and 2nd overall but Lotus also achieved a 1st and 2nd place, be it in the handicap category called the Index of Performance.
Before I give more details of this lucrative success, as in last month’s report on the Ecurie Ecosse team I feel it right to give the unsung heroes of the Lotus team a mention as well. Colin Chapman at the age of 28 and a highly valued engineer with his mechanics, had built five brand new Lotus XI’s with Coventry Climax engines for the 1957, 24 hour race; two for privateers and three for Team Lotus.

Due to the heavy racing program over the preceding Whitsun Bank Holiday at the end of May, the work in preparing the Le Mans cars had been severely delayed. The two private entrants, one British for Dalton/Walshaw and one French for Hechard/Masson, had collected their 1100cc cars on the weekend before the race. This left the remaining three Team Lotus cars having to be worked upon at any opportunity, including the main square at Dover on the Monday afternoon as the transporter awaited passage for the midnight ferry. The story goes that the mechanics arrived at Le Mans with the transporter only two minutes before their scheduled scrutineering time at the “Verification” shed. From then onwards the mechanics had very little opportunity for any sleep as they toiled to prep the cars, ready for first practice on the Wednesday in their stable headquarters at Mayet, approximately 18 miles south of the circuit.

The photograph above is evidence the mechanics literally lived with their cars during the week of Le Mans. The gentleman at the head of the table on the right is none other than Graham Hill. He was employed as a mechanic but also reserve driver for the team. The waiter serving is Mike Costain, who was the “Cos” in Cosworth Engineering and co-founder.

The three Team Lotus entries were as follows;

#37 had the largest engine capacity at 1500cc driven by Jay Chamberlain and Herbert Mackay-Fraser
#55 was the smallest capacity car at 750cc driven by Keith Hall and Cliff Allison
#62 was the reserve car with an engine capacity at 1100cc to be driven by Alan Stacy and Peter Ashdown.

The four confirmed entries (2 private and 2 team Lotus) were given pit garages within block “C” so conveniently placed next door to each other. From the diorama picture below you will note no pit board with the number #37.

Mike Costain and his hard-working mechanics spent all Thursday, from the early hours right up to the evening practice start, preparing the #37, 1500cc car. Unfortunately, during practice, the engine suffered valve damage and could not be replaced or repaired in time so was withdrawn only to be replaced by #62 the 1100cc reserve car. The originally listed drivers, Peter Ashdown and Alan Stacey had to stand aside whilst the American pairing from the damaged 1500cc car took over the driving responsibilities. It was a bitter pill to take but MacKay Fraser and Jay Chamberlain were after all the “official” Lotus works drivers.

Right from arriving at the circuit on the Monday the work load never let off for the mechanics. The demise of the 1500cc engine was certainly a set-back but focus was not lost. Come the Saturday afternoon at 4 o’clock the team started the serious business of racing for 24 hours. There was a schedule to keep and all team members added their part to ensure it did not faulter. Mike Costain, Bill Griffiths, Phil Butler and Dave Warwick were tasked with the routine oil, water and tyre checks at each pit stop. Refueling was the responsibility of Graham Hill. Time keeping duties were the responsibility of Ian Smith and David Yorke plus the help of two other friends who offered their services. A further two other friends of the team were roped into manning the signaling pits at Muslanne. All these people needed to be kept fed and watered and Colin’s wife Hazel ensured no one went without refreshment.

Luckily car number 37 was the only casualty in the Lotus camp, all four of the other cars that stared, finished the race. Number 55, the 750cc engine car, proudly displaying the Biennial Cup Roundel as a participant in the Index of Performance managed to finish 14th overall and first in this very lucrative competition.

Whilst the reserve 1100cc car finished 2nd in the Index of Performance. The huge effect made by all the team members had certainly been rewarded with a hoard of trophies plus extra monies to take home for their efforts.

Paul - "Collecting Motorsport in Miniature; for the passion and its history".